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Exploring Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

I certainly can’t write extensively about Puerto Viejo, as we only stayed there on two separate nights, before, and after our trip to Panama.

That being said…During our stay I pretty much had the coolest looking coffee I’ve had in all of Costa Rica, and to not write about that would be a crime!

Kids playing on a rope swing, off a tree on an abandoned boat.

Every thing we read about the Caribbean Coast said that we would be in for a culture shock. The laid back surfer beaches of the Pacific, would be replaced by a Jamaican inspired rasta vibe. Although we did hear our fair share of Bob Marley during our two days there, I think we were expecting something more drastic. It certainly still felt like Costa Rica, but maybe with a few more dreadlocks.

The surf competition.

Pretty much all of Puerto Viejo is laid out on an 13km road. Although once one of Costa Rica’s secret destinations, it’s now a pretty busy little surfer town.

The first day that we were there, there was actually a surf competition going on. It was pretty neat to be able to see some pretty high calibre surfers catching some waves.

Shaun checking out the waves (as usual!)

While we were there, the weather was gorgeous, but we had heard from many people that Puerto Viejo, as well as much of the Caribbean Coast is prone to tons of rain. We felt pretty lucky that we saw none of that during our visit.

The one thing that did put us on edge a little was all the talk about Puerto Viejo’s reputation for crime.

Some gorgeous beach views

Every guidebook we read had tips about how to stay safe. There is a forest trail that runs along the beach, and it was recommended that tourists don’t walk on it at night. Our hotel had multiple signs that asked their guests not to bring their valuables with them at night, and to always take a cab back to the hotel instead of walking.

We were there for such a short period of time, and never actually went out in the evening, so we certainly didn’t feel any sort of danger. Nevertheless, it was a good reminder to keep your wits about you when travelling in general.

Behold! A thing of beauty!

So now that you’ve read my ramblings, I know you want me to get to this coffee! The afternoon that we came back from Panama, we popped into a coffee shop called Sel et Sucre. There was such a lack of good coffee shops in Panama, that I was dying for a delicious Cappuccino. Let me tell you, I got what I was looking for, and more.

Just check that out! Isn’t it gorgeous! I wanted to just stare at this masterpiece forever, but eventually, after a lengthy photo op, I gave it a stir, and dove in. It was delicious. If you are in Puerto Viejo, check out Sel et Sucre, if only to behold such a masterpiece yourself!